Garden
18.03.2011 / 16:07 | Aktualizováno: 28.02.2013 / 12:39
The baroque palace garden was founded in the 2nd half of the 17th century with the building works of the Czernin Palace. It was completed in the 1st half of the 18th century. At south, the garden is closed by the garden facade of the palace which was embroidered with a statue of the Hydra battling Hercules by Prague sculptor Ignác František Platzer since 1746.
The sandstone statue is located in the Entrance Hall of the Czernin Palace now, having been replaced by a replica in the garden facade. The northern side of the garden is dominated by so called Kaňka Pavilion built in 1744. The pavilion was named after Czech architect František Maxmilián Kaňka who was involved in building works of the Czernin Palace in the 1st half of the 18th century. Kaňka´s participation in projecting of the pavilion is very dubious though. Kaňka Pavilion was built by master builder iJakub Schedeli. The architect still remains obscured. The most probable creator seems to be Jakub Schedel himself or important Prague architect Anselmo Lurago who projected the belfry of the St. Nicholas Church in the Lesser Town of Prague. The Czernin Palace was converted into the barracks in the 2nd half of the 19th century. The garden was destroyed being used as a yard surrounded by stables, sheds and smithy where horse tacks and horseshoes were repaired. Horses were the essential part of military equipment at that time. The current simplified appearance of the garden is a result of the reconstruction of the Czernin Palace led by architect Pavel Janák in 1929 – 1934. The last evidence of the original baroque garden is Kaňka Pavilion.